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January 23, 2015

Cooking For A Crowd

It was my turn to provide lunch for The Friends of the Lauderdale County Library Board's monthly meeting. The name, alone, is a mouthful and I'm sure that a good mouthful is what they expect.

We know from past experience that:
  1.  Cooking for more than four or six at a time takes me for-ev-er
  2.  I will hyperventilate over whether it will taste good
  3. I will worry as to whether there will be enough
  4. Forget something
  5.  I have spent too much time (and money) on this event.
Made a list and checked it twice.  Moved the hairdresser appointment to the afternoon.  Pulled out bowls and utensils and made sure that they were clean. Packed up stuff, table cloths, paper plates, etc., to tote across the street. "Across the street?  Why didn't you ask that they hold it at the house?"   Ummm, nope.

It's a simple menu...right?  Quiche, soup, salad, punch, cheesecake, pound cake, breads. Please refer to item #1.  Because it takes me for-ev-er, past experience said to get an early start.  That meant do everything possible on Monday.  So, early it is. Chopping and dicing, butter, cream cheese, and eggs are on the counter.  Making homemade potato soup. Potatoes are peeled, diced, and in the crock pot.  Wow, peeling potatoes and cutting them into bite-size pieces is work.  Wonder if I could have used mashed potatoes?   One quiche in the oven; the second is waiting to go in.

I should have enough graham cracker crumbs for the cheesecake crust and cake flour to make the cake. What is this?  WEEVILS in the cake flour? Damn it, everything, beans, flour, sugar, rice, you name it, is in airtight containers...except for the cake flour! Oh well, back to the store.

Cheesecake in the oven.  Have I been in the kitchen ALL day?  Yep.  I told you that it takes me for-ev-er.  Still have the pound cake to make. There must be something that I can do where I can sit down and take a load off.  The back is starting to hurt, as well as the feet.  What happened to my rug at the sink? What happened to the pizza pan? What happened to...?

Up early on Tuesday morning. Have to make the salad, reheat the quiche and soup. Double check the utensils, yada. I found enough boxes and bags to carry everything, even a small centerpiece. I am bone-tired and the back is KILLING me.  The car is packed. I certainly hope that there is a space close to the door and that there is rolling cart available. Space available, yes. Cart, no. Fortunately, I was able to get some help in unloading and setting up.

It's SHOW TIME!  "Smells good."  "Never had salmon quiche before." "What salad dressing did you use?"  And, naturally, there was too much food.  But a roll of foil and paper plates made short shrift of that. The only things to return home (besides dirty containers) were the remains of the potato soup and some pound cake.

Thank goodness for the help of the contractor in unloading when I got home.  Otherwise, the stuff would still be in the car.

I've had my turn.  Next time...pizza delivery!

Be Safe.  Be Blessed. 







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